my first introduction to Michelle Yeoh was actually through Crazy Rich Asian and she was so effective playing a very intimidating mother and matriarch in that film so when i found out that she will be playing Madame Morible, i was super excited and sure enough when i saw Wicked yesterday, i loved her as Madame Morible.
Just saw it and wow that ending gave me goosebumps from head to my toes and I cry a little. I think the last time I got goosebumps at the movie was End Game, can’t wait to go see Wicked again.
I just want to say "Thank you" for all your video reviews where you speak naturally and uncut--such a rare thing these days. So many other vloggers have a cut after every damn sentence, it's jarring and disorienting.
Well I do cut quite a bit, but I always put a band-aid over the cuts with an image or clip to hide the fact that I can barely get through a complete sentence without tripping over my words. Anytime you see a clip, that's where I've made a big mistake. Thanks for checking out my video!
Not a big fan of musicals but I've loved the Wizard of Oz since I was a kid. I'm taking my daughter and her friends this weekend to see Wicked so I was pleasantly surprised with this review.
Not the biggest fan of musicals but might have to check this out eventually. I did enjoy The Sound Of Music when I saw it as a kid. Great review as always! Glad you enjoyed it. Keep it up. 👍🏻.
I'm still recovering from when I had to play a little girl in my lower school production of the Sound of Music back when I was in kindergarten. Wearing a dress for days on end broke my brain.
Definitely enjoyed Wicked!!💚💖 saw it twice!! Ariana stole every scene and Cynthia Arivo spectacular performance as Elphaba!! Never felt dragging long or as you said padding. Can’t wait for act 2!!
I finally watched the movie today and couldn't agree more, what an amazing film, I wish it all the success in the world. Too bad the lofty expectations muddy the narrative, but I hope it has amazing legs.
I’m not saying it’s right, but I feel like it’s because Cynthia was lashing out at a fan rather than Ariana’s dalliance with another Broadway elite. From a purely groupthink perspective, it felt like Cynthia was punching down, or biting the hand that feeds her (i.e. her audience). But yes, Ariana’s transgression is objectively more hurtful.
You are correct that the original ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz are on display in DC--specifically, in the Smithsonian. There were actually multiple copies made for filming, and another pair is in the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, MN.
If you want to see the depth of Ariana Grande’s talent, look up the TH-cam clips of her appearances on Saturday Night Live. Singing, comedy, impressions, she does it all.
I wasn't planning on seeing the movie, but now I'm thinking about it. Thanks; this review is made for people like me. I do like *some* musicals. 'Phantom of the Paradise', 'Oliver!', Disney's animated 'Beauty and the Beast', 'Fiddler on the Roof', 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' -- all these I like. And then there are those pseudo-musicals that are really genre films with featured songs, like 'The Wicker Man' or 'Heavy Metal'. It's tough to make a good musical. Unless the lyrical content of each song propels the story forward, I feel like the songs can easily get in the way of the story. Glad to hear they nailed it with this one. I'll probably check it out (with headphones on) when it comes to streaming.
Much obliged! I figured there would be a lot of people out there who were on the fence and they could use a review from someone who is not already a fanatic for the material.
Great review! As a big Wicked fan I agree that Michelle Yeoh seems miscast. She just doesn't play the role with enough camp and villainess that it is played on Broadway with. I think Meryl Streep or Anjelica Huston would of been better choices.
Big Michelle Yeoh fan here. Royal Warriors, Magnificent Warriors, Yes Madam, Supercop, Crouching Tiger, etc are my jam. With that said I’ve loved seeing her being able to flex her actual acting skills recently being cast in films like Crazy Rich Asians, Everything Everywhere All At Once, the Star Trek series and Wicked. I thought she was great in her role here. Her singing may not be up there with the leads but she even impressed me there a bit.
Also I agree about Ariana Grande here. She was funny as shit. If you’ve never seen the series Kidding with Jim Carey I recommend giving that a shot. Ariana has a small role in it but watching her in Wicked reminded me how much I loved that series too.
Thank you for your review. It definitely made me feel excited to see the film. Planned to do a double feature with Gladiator 2 and Wicked for Thanksgiving with family and wasn't thrilled to see Wicked at all, ( the drama and marketing didn't help). Happy to hear that it's good. Hoping the same for Gladiator 2, fingers crossed. By the way, for 150,000 yrs old, you look great. Thanks again for your review.
@janercherry Exactly! It's the first time that we're doing a double feature with 2+ hours movies on that day. We're going to see Wicked at 11:30am, an early Thanksgiving dinner by 3pm, then back to the theater for 6:45pm for Gladiator 2. Fingers crossed for good weather and no turkey comas during Gladiator, but recliners in the theaters can work with or against you 😂.
I had a similar response to the Wicked trailers and was underwhelmed but the good news is that the best the movie has to offer will all be a happy surprise for you. Better pack a picnic if you're planning on a double feature alongside Gladiator II. You'll be in the theater all day. Enjoy!
They unfortunately will NOT be performing at the Oscar’s. They weren’t able to list any of the songs for nomination, because they are all from the stage show. NOW, the songs could be nominated for Grammy’s or basically any other award. The Academy may also ask them to perform despite the fact that they are not nominated for any song, but that would be EXTREMELY rare.
You are very funny and affable in this review. I would certainly be in the same bucket as you in terms of musicals and musical tastes and Broadway shows and girly stuff. Wicked was okay fluff, if you could ignore the political overtones. Wicked the book is revisionist and political. Gregory Maguire, the author of Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, is gay. (Maguire came out at 25, as he published his first novel, The Lightning Time in 1978.) Then the movie took current politics and made this revisionist text even more political in dozens of ways (animal farm, equating green and black skin). I wanted to barf.
Much obliged! I figured that TH-cam would already have its fair share of reviews by the rabid fanatics for the show, but that there might be some folks out there who would be interested in a review from someone who was on the fence ahead of time. Thanks for listening!
Not a fan of musicals but the glowing reviews has convinced me to see this in theatres. Not a fan of Grande’s music but she's had chart topping hits for like 10 years and has been in some pretty high profile relationships. Her vocal style has been compared to Mariah Carey.
The madness at AmC was probably due to Kith hosting Batman screenings (Every generation of bat films in existence), while promoting their hipster clothing line to hopefully become the next Supreme. To the dead woodchucks taking a selfie in front of the big screen adaptation of Wicked, “You probably could have saved money and watched a better performance getting Rush tickets on the same night.” 🤷♂️ Over the last 30 years, musicals are difficult to make big box office money even IF the producers do it all right. This film is more infamous for the stupid off-camera social media meltdown than the actual musical itself. On top of that, Disney is trying to turn this musical into a franchise. On top of that 2hr and 40 min is very long. Never say never but I dunno if it is a hit. Think it’ll open #1 before Gladiator 2: Training Day takes over the box office for a month.
Were we at the same screening? We need to catch a flick together sooner rather than later. Give me a shout on Twitter @colebrax or by email colebrax@gmail.com. But thanks for the clarification on the Batman event. I had no clue what was going on and was totally blindsided by the hordes of Batman fanatics.
I have enjoyed some musicals, but in general I'm not a fan of that genre. So I have no plans to see "Wicked", but ya never know. With the holidays here, I'll probably have some extra time, and might ecentually go before the new year. I'm a fan of Cynthia Erivo, but like you, I don't know much about Ariana Grande. I've seen clips of her on TH-cam doing impressions, which was very funny, but I don't know shit about her in general.
I first saw Cynthia Erivo in Bad Times at the El Royale. Her singing just.blew me away. I've been a big fan ever since. If you haven't seen the movie, I'd highly recommend it.
If you love musical numbers, might I suggest Ren. Ren's music videos for Hi Ren, The Tales of Jenny and Screech, and Money Game 3 are like scenes pulled from a musical. He's exceptionally talented and battling years of being misdiagnosed while Lyme disease had its way with his body and mind. If you love musicals I highly recommend checking out Ren.
The movie is longr because it combines the musical and the book with lore from the Wizard of Oz books, because the play cuts out alot, that almost relys on your knowledge of the books.
I wonder what my experience would have been like if I had watched solo at home? The waves of applause after each song definitely helped me get into the spirit of the movie.
Never saw 'Return to Oz' but I did check out 'The Wiz' with Michael Jackson which by some strange circumstance ended up being directed by Sidney Lumet.
Have to admit, James, I like hearing you refer to one of your local theater complexes as “an absolute mob scene.” Hollywood may suck hard these days, and film celebrities should stfu about anything other than entertainment on social media, but damn it, I still love to go out and watch movies with crowds of strangers.
I think the box office will also benefit from a lot of repeat viewings as folks go back for second helpings take their friends and family members along for the ride.
The musical Wicked played in only 16 countries but wasn't popular in all of them. According to Deadline Wicked is projected to make 40-50mil from 61 countries opening weekend, for comparison Little Mermaid made 68mil from 51 countries opening weekend. Plus, the presales are not accelerating as they should in the final days and walk-ups shouldn't be strong indicating narrow interest = interest is not high among non-musical fans. Bottom line = no shot at a billion.... But I could be wrong.
The Little Mermaid comparison does dampen Wicked's hopes since LM had so much controversy and criticism before the movie even opened. I can't see it yet being part of the billion dollar club.
@@bitupawan_borah Oh yeah, I'm expecting around 100-120, but many are projecting >150; so it's below expectations based on presales. It's gonna be a success domestically, but internationally less so which is why a billion looks far fetched. The movie will be a success, but not Barbie or Mario level of success.
I went in knowing very little other than remembering my mom loved the musical lol. Honestly, I found it was really great and will go again. The 3D is surprisingly good - and if you go to that version people can't take photos easily without using the glasses xD Totally agree about michelle yeoh. I love her but she felt the most out of place...
You just offered the best defense of 3D. I'm not sure when this trend got started, but people taking pictures of the screen is a plague in the modern moviegoing experience.
Shock horror. James, did you just admit to googling something on your phone in the cinema? Some guy on another podcast is bitching about some bald guy in an Arnold is numero uno teeshirt ruining his experience at the wicked screening. :)
I enjoy musicals but I can see why some dont find the appeal. Bursting into song and even a dance especially in an emotionally charged scene sometimes confuses casual viewers. Those are built for theater goers. Imagine guards chasing you down then still find time to sing about your thoughts and feelings.
Have you seen Ren - Hi Ren? He's an independent artist that makes music videos that feel like a scene out of a musical. Hi Ren, The Tale of Jenny and Screech, and Money Game 3 are all top tier videos.
Forte when representing expertise is pronounced fort. Forte when referring to music is pronounced for-tay. Chronic mispronunciation does not change good grammar
You know James not surprised that domestic movie outcome are low; lots of people in my country and Yours have very little or no money to spend on movies, people are sick of identity politic movies, and movies in general; last 10 years have been utterly terrible.
I can't argue with your assessment of the last ten years. I hope Hollywood will rebound like it did in the late Sixties when the Film School Generation and New Hollywood came along. If not, I'll be reading a lot more books and playing a lot more video games.
Suspiria, The Wizard of Oz, what's next? An inversion of the Blair Witch? Gladiator 2 opened last week here in Japan, got excited, then reality set in. There's no way Hollywood will deliver a film with "Strength & Honor" in 2024. The Street Trash requel was the final straw for me 😅
I think they hid the musical part of this film as well. Like obviously not completely, but it's been remarked upon a lot, that the trailers were not really highlighting the music in the film.
They did not hide it AT ALL. They kept posting clips of the different songs and the two leads are well known professional singers. If someone didn’t know it was a musical before going in they must’ve just seen the one poster.
Big mistake on their part. I feel like the most popular tunes from the production should be featured front and center. They were the best parts of the movie.
Thanks but I can NOT continue to support movies where the actors and production hates on their audience. I used to just turn my cheek but...I am done. Let alone TWO movies?! Glad you enjoyed it.
![ละลาย (LALALYE) - DAOU PITTAYA ต้าห์อู๋ พิทยา [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wo6r9TgausI/mqdefault.jpg)
Well fuck it, that's it, I'm getting a witch hat and going.
If the movie converts Bill Scurry, that's when we'll have a clear picture of its crossover appeal.
my first introduction to Michelle Yeoh was actually through Crazy Rich Asian and she was so effective playing a very intimidating mother and matriarch in that film so when i found out that she will be playing Madame Morible, i was super excited and sure enough when i saw Wicked yesterday, i loved her as Madame Morible.
Just saw it and wow that ending gave me goosebumps from head to my toes and I cry a little. I think the last time I got goosebumps at the movie was End Game, can’t wait to go see Wicked again.
I suspect the movie is going to generate tons of repeat business.
I just want to say "Thank you" for all your video reviews where you speak naturally and uncut--such a rare thing these days. So many other vloggers have a cut after every damn sentence, it's jarring and disorienting.
Well I do cut quite a bit, but I always put a band-aid over the cuts with an image or clip to hide the fact that I can barely get through a complete sentence without tripping over my words. Anytime you see a clip, that's where I've made a big mistake. Thanks for checking out my video!
Ariana Grande is a great impressionist; look up her impressions of Jennifer Lawrence and Hermione from Harry Potter = spot on.
I had no idea she was so good at it!
Will do!
Not a big fan of musicals but I've loved the Wizard of Oz since I was a kid. I'm taking my daughter and her friends this weekend to see Wicked so I was pleasantly surprised with this review.
Nice! Hope y'all have a blast. I suspect those girls will be singing their heads off on the ride home.
Not the biggest fan of musicals but might have to check this out eventually.
I did enjoy The Sound Of Music when I saw it as a kid.
Great review as always!
Glad you enjoyed it.
Keep it up. 👍🏻.
I'm still recovering from when I had to play a little girl in my lower school production of the Sound of Music back when I was in kindergarten. Wearing a dress for days on end broke my brain.
@@geekinwithJamesHancock LoL!
Hi James! You really crack me up with some of these reviews 😂
Thank you kindly! Glad you enjoyed it!
Fun fact: Jonathan Bailey did the "Dancing Through Life" sequence for this movie in one take!
He has some serious moves.
Definitely enjoyed Wicked!!💚💖 saw it twice!! Ariana stole every scene and Cynthia Arivo spectacular performance as Elphaba!! Never felt dragging long or as you said padding. Can’t wait for act 2!!
I finally watched the movie today and couldn't agree more, what an amazing film, I wish it all the success in the world. Too bad the lofty expectations muddy the narrative, but I hope it has amazing legs.
It really feels unfair how mad people are about Cynthia's little slip up vs Ariana's crazy drama
I’m not saying it’s right, but I feel like it’s because Cynthia was lashing out at a fan rather than Ariana’s dalliance with another Broadway elite. From a purely groupthink perspective, it felt like Cynthia was punching down, or biting the hand that feeds her (i.e. her audience). But yes, Ariana’s transgression is objectively more hurtful.
Just saw it, what a great film I enjoyed it and for the first time in a long time the entire Theater applauded and cheered with joy.
@0:37 i just fell off of my couch! is that you? blink twice if you are in trouble.
You and me both, lol. No one was more shocked than I when I was humming the music on my way home.
Glad you enjoyed it. I saw the musical in Chicago years ago, it was memorable.
Makes me wish I had caught it with the original cast back in its heyday. I know people are very attached to the original stars.
You are correct that the original ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz are on display in DC--specifically, in the Smithsonian. There were actually multiple copies made for filming, and another pair is in the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, MN.
Gotcha! I couldn't quite remember all the details but I remember those headlines years ago.
Taking photos of the screen? No-one ever lost money underestimating human beings ability to not care about others.
If you want to see the depth of Ariana Grande’s talent, look up the TH-cam clips of her appearances on Saturday Night Live. Singing, comedy, impressions, she does it all.
I've heard her impressions are first rate. I'll definitely hunt them down.
I wasn't planning on seeing the movie, but now I'm thinking about it. Thanks; this review is made for people like me. I do like *some* musicals. 'Phantom of the Paradise', 'Oliver!', Disney's animated 'Beauty and the Beast', 'Fiddler on the Roof', 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' -- all these I like. And then there are those pseudo-musicals that are really genre films with featured songs, like 'The Wicker Man' or 'Heavy Metal'. It's tough to make a good musical. Unless the lyrical content of each song propels the story forward, I feel like the songs can easily get in the way of the story. Glad to hear they nailed it with this one. I'll probably check it out (with headphones on) when it comes to streaming.
Definitely no competition for 'Phantom of the Paradise' but then again few movies are.
I don't like musicals but I'll take Wicked over the abomination that is Gladiator II.
Just caught Gladiator II. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but I went in with rock bottom expectations.
I'm shocked to hear you praise this movie James. Like you I'm not into musicals with a few exceptions. Maybe this will be another one. Great review!
Much obliged! I figured there would be a lot of people out there who were on the fence and they could use a review from someone who is not already a fanatic for the material.
Great review! As a big Wicked fan I agree that Michelle Yeoh seems miscast. She just doesn't play the role with enough camp and villainess that it is played on Broadway with. I think Meryl Streep or Anjelica Huston would of been better choices.
Big Michelle Yeoh fan here. Royal Warriors, Magnificent Warriors, Yes Madam, Supercop, Crouching Tiger, etc are my jam.
With that said I’ve loved seeing her being able to flex her actual acting skills recently being cast in films like Crazy Rich Asians, Everything Everywhere All At Once, the Star Trek series and Wicked. I thought she was great in her role here. Her singing may not be up there with the leads but she even impressed me there a bit.
Also I agree about Ariana Grande here. She was funny as shit. If you’ve never seen the series Kidding with Jim Carey I recommend giving that a shot. Ariana has a small role in it but watching her in Wicked reminded me how much I loved that series too.
Thank you for your review. It definitely made me feel excited to see the film. Planned to do a double feature with Gladiator 2 and Wicked for Thanksgiving with family and wasn't thrilled to see Wicked at all, ( the drama and marketing didn't help). Happy to hear that it's good. Hoping the same for Gladiator 2, fingers crossed. By the way, for 150,000 yrs old, you look great. Thanks again for your review.
Your going to be in the movies for almost 5 hours 😅
@janercherry Exactly! It's the first time that we're doing a double feature with 2+ hours movies on that day. We're going to see Wicked at 11:30am, an early Thanksgiving dinner by 3pm, then back to the theater for 6:45pm for Gladiator 2. Fingers crossed for good weather and no turkey comas during Gladiator, but recliners in the theaters can work with or against you 😂.
I had a similar response to the Wicked trailers and was underwhelmed but the good news is that the best the movie has to offer will all be a happy surprise for you. Better pack a picnic if you're planning on a double feature alongside Gladiator II. You'll be in the theater all day. Enjoy!
@@geekinwithJamesHancock Thanks!
It’s too early for April Fools Day 😂 Glad you liked it James.
No one is more surprised than I. Ariana made me laugh and that's enough. Are you planning on seeing it?
Well I guess I gotta go see Wicked. Thnx again, great review
You might need to pack a lunch due to the excessive runtime but I think Ariana will make you chuckle.
@@geekinwithJamesHancock 😄
I'm seeing Gladiator II this weekend. I'm hearing good things about Wicked and I'm sure it will be around for a few weekends so I can catch it later.
Pleasant surprise
Totally. I went just out of curiosity and to keep up with box office trends but ended up having a good time. I'll be there for the sequel.
The NIcolas Brothers were incredible... 👍 Oh and luck getting a catchy portmanteau out of Wicked and Gladiator !!
Fred Astaire always said the Nicolas Brothers were his favorite dancers. Gravity was a mild inconvenience for them.
They unfortunately will NOT be performing at the Oscar’s. They weren’t able to list any of the songs for nomination, because they are all from the stage show.
NOW, the songs could be nominated for Grammy’s or basically any other award.
The Academy may also ask them to perform despite the fact that they are not nominated for any song, but that would be EXTREMELY rare.
Last year they performed "We Don't Talk About Bruno" which wasn't nominated... it's possible.
The Academy needs to learn to get out of their own way when it comes to all of their ridiculous rules and regulations.
You are very funny and affable in this review. I would certainly be in the same bucket as you in terms of musicals and musical tastes and Broadway shows and girly stuff.
Wicked was okay fluff, if you could ignore the political overtones.
Wicked the book is revisionist and political. Gregory Maguire, the author of Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, is gay. (Maguire came out at 25, as he published his first novel, The Lightning Time in 1978.)
Then the movie took current politics and made this revisionist text even more political in dozens of ways (animal farm, equating green and black skin). I wanted to barf.
Much obliged! I figured that TH-cam would already have its fair share of reviews by the rabid fanatics for the show, but that there might be some folks out there who would be interested in a review from someone who was on the fence ahead of time. Thanks for listening!
@@geekinwithJamesHancock AMC A-list means I see almost every 'hot movie of the week' at the Dolby theater.
Not a fan of musicals but the glowing reviews has convinced me to see this in theatres. Not a fan of Grande’s music but she's had chart topping hits for like 10 years and has been in some pretty high profile relationships. Her vocal style has been compared to Mariah Carey.
She can definitely sing her ass off. I'll be hunting down all of her impressions that I keep seeing people talking about.
The madness at AmC was probably due to Kith hosting Batman screenings (Every generation of bat films in existence), while promoting their hipster clothing line to hopefully become the next Supreme.
To the dead woodchucks taking a selfie in front of the big screen adaptation of Wicked, “You probably could have saved money and watched a better performance getting Rush tickets on the same night.” 🤷♂️
Over the last 30 years, musicals are difficult to make big box office money even IF the producers do it all right. This film is more infamous for the stupid off-camera social media meltdown than the actual musical itself. On top of that, Disney is trying to turn this musical into a franchise. On top of that 2hr and 40 min is very long. Never say never but I dunno if it is a hit. Think it’ll open #1 before Gladiator 2: Training Day takes over the box office for a month.
Were we at the same screening? We need to catch a flick together sooner rather than later. Give me a shout on Twitter @colebrax or by email colebrax@gmail.com. But thanks for the clarification on the Batman event. I had no clue what was going on and was totally blindsided by the hordes of Batman fanatics.
I have enjoyed some musicals, but in general I'm not a fan of that genre. So I have no plans to see "Wicked", but ya never know. With the holidays here, I'll probably have some extra time, and might ecentually go before the new year. I'm a fan of Cynthia Erivo, but like you, I don't know much about Ariana Grande. I've seen clips of her on TH-cam doing impressions, which was very funny, but I don't know shit about her in general.
I keep hearing that her impressions are first rate. I'm definitely going to check them out.
I first saw Cynthia Erivo in Bad Times at the El Royale. Her singing just.blew me away. I've been a big fan ever since.
If you haven't seen the movie, I'd highly recommend it.
Good call! I caught it and reviewed it when it came out but had totally forgotten about it: th-cam.com/video/TWxH4tfn_U4/w-d-xo.html
I’m not a show-tunes guy but Wicked on stage is fcking amazing 😳
If you love musical numbers, might I suggest Ren. Ren's music videos for Hi Ren, The Tales of Jenny and Screech, and Money Game 3 are like scenes pulled from a musical. He's exceptionally talented and battling years of being misdiagnosed while Lyme disease had its way with his body and mind. If you love musicals I highly recommend checking out Ren.
Will do! Thanks for the recommendation.
You Da Man!
Right back at you!
I still love wizard of oz. Tbh i think it’s one of the films that inspired me to make films
Hall of Fame fantasy classic. 1939 was one helluva year for movies.
I’ll call it Gladwick! TM
@13:43 "why is she famous" lol
All my pop music knowledge comes from a different century, lol. Born in 1976.
The movie is longr because it combines the musical and the book with lore from the Wizard of Oz books, because the play cuts out alot, that almost relys on your knowledge of the books.
Gotcha
Let fans have their fun James. You went on opening week so you knew what you were getting into.
Glad you liked the movie.
I wonder what my experience would have been like if I had watched solo at home? The waves of applause after each song definitely helped me get into the spirit of the movie.
I want check this movie and plus dress up too.
James, have you ever seen 'Return to Oz'
Never saw 'Return to Oz' but I did check out 'The Wiz' with Michael Jackson which by some strange circumstance ended up being directed by Sidney Lumet.
@@geekinwithJamesHancock I've never seen The Wiz, I will check it out. I think you will enjoy Return to Oz, it's very much a dark 80s fantasy flick.
Have to admit, James, I like hearing you refer to one of your local theater complexes as “an absolute mob scene.” Hollywood may suck hard these days, and film celebrities should stfu about anything other than entertainment on social media, but damn it, I still love to go out and watch movies with crowds of strangers.
It was crazy. There were multiple lines both outside and in. The staff seemed a little dizzy trying to handle the overflow.
Hmm I've seen 3 good reviews seems like they have a hit 🤩 poor social media will have a meltdown 😂
I think the box office will also benefit from a lot of repeat viewings as folks go back for second helpings take their friends and family members along for the ride.
The musical Wicked played in only 16 countries but wasn't popular in all of them. According to Deadline Wicked is projected to make 40-50mil from 61 countries opening weekend, for comparison Little Mermaid made 68mil from 51 countries opening weekend. Plus, the presales are not accelerating as they should in the final days and walk-ups shouldn't be strong indicating narrow interest = interest is not high among non-musical fans. Bottom line = no shot at a billion.... But I could be wrong.
The Little Mermaid comparison does dampen Wicked's hopes since LM had so much controversy and criticism before the movie even opened. I can't see it yet being part of the billion dollar club.
Wicked is projected to made 100million+ on its opening weekend bro !
@@bitupawan_borah Oh yeah, I'm expecting around 100-120, but many are projecting >150; so it's below expectations based on presales. It's gonna be a success domestically, but internationally less so which is why a billion looks far fetched. The movie will be a success, but not Barbie or Mario level of success.
I also could very well be wrong. I love following box office reports but my predictions ahead of time are usually dead wrong.
I usually have an aversion for Musicals
I may see this I know my Wife and Daughter are batty over this stuff
The trailer makes it look boring and CGI-heavy. Is the actual film very different from the trailers?
Did you watch the review?
No way am I sitting through 2hrs and 40mins of a musical..I'm seeing Gladiator 2
enjoy that mediocre movie, bro
@bullsharkTM Gotta be better than the first one!
I'm off to see Gladiator II in 20 minutes. "At my signal, unleash Hell."
Oh yeah listen to Ariana!
Will do!
What do you mean the dancing is nothing? Did you see dancing through life?
I don’t know why people keep saying part one it’s Act 1
I think the credits call it Part One
@ weird
It's listed as Part 1 on imdb.
@ I know it should’ve been Act 1
I went in knowing very little other than remembering my mom loved the musical lol. Honestly, I found it was really great and will go again. The 3D is surprisingly good - and if you go to that version people can't take photos easily without using the glasses xD
Totally agree about michelle yeoh. I love her but she felt the most out of place...
You just offered the best defense of 3D. I'm not sure when this trend got started, but people taking pictures of the screen is a plague in the modern moviegoing experience.
Shock horror. James, did you just admit to googling something on your phone in the cinema? Some guy on another podcast is bitching about some bald guy in an Arnold is numero uno teeshirt ruining his experience at the wicked screening. :)
I googled after the fact. I always turn off my phone before the trailers and make a big obnoxious show of it hoping others will follow my example.
Why do people hate musicals? Are people that synical these days?
I don't get it either.
Musicals typically contain simple music... for simple minds. One can become cynical about people who don't know how to spell.
I find the show tunes tedious and dull
I enjoy musicals but I can see why some dont find the appeal. Bursting into song and even a dance especially in an emotionally charged scene sometimes confuses casual viewers. Those are built for theater goers. Imagine guards chasing you down then still find time to sing about your thoughts and feelings.
Have you seen Ren - Hi Ren? He's an independent artist that makes music videos that feel like a scene out of a musical. Hi Ren, The Tale of Jenny and Screech, and Money Game 3 are all top tier videos.
Forte when representing expertise is pronounced fort. Forte when referring to music is pronounced for-tay. Chronic mispronunciation does not change good grammar
Got it! I learned the word back in my days of reading sheet music while playing alto sax, hence the mistake.
Loved the stage musical, not going to watch the movie.
Glad you saw Wicked, James, now I don't have to.
You never know. It might sneak up on you and charm you.
@@geekinwithJamesHancock Like the song says, I'd like to think I'm immune to the stuff.
Hate musicals. Zero interest. Gladiator 2 here I come!
I'll be there for Gladiator II at 2 PM tomorrow. “What we do in life echoes in eternity.”
@@geekinwithJamesHancockdo you think it’s worth seeing! Is it boring? Seeing gladiator tonight
You know James not surprised that domestic movie outcome are low; lots of people in my country and Yours have very little or no money to spend on movies, people are sick of identity politic movies, and movies in general; last 10 years have been utterly terrible.
I can't argue with your assessment of the last ten years. I hope Hollywood will rebound like it did in the late Sixties when the Film School Generation and New Hollywood came along. If not, I'll be reading a lot more books and playing a lot more video games.
@geekinwithJamesHancock like to see some review of videos games you played. Do play retro games?
Yeah gladiator 2 was trASSh
I went in with very low expectations and ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would.
Suspiria, The Wizard of Oz, what's next? An inversion of the Blair Witch?
Gladiator 2 opened last week here in Japan, got excited, then reality set in. There's no way Hollywood will deliver a film with "Strength & Honor" in 2024.
The Street Trash requel was the final straw for me 😅
Someone made a sequel to Street Trash? I'm still recovering from the first and watching people play keep away with a castrated penis.
@geekinwithJamesHancock Yup. Not that you would, but don't bother. It's hot garbage.
I think they hid the musical part of this film as well. Like obviously not completely, but it's been remarked upon a lot, that the trailers were not really highlighting the music in the film.
They did not hide it AT ALL. They kept posting clips of the different songs and the two leads are well known professional singers. If someone didn’t know it was a musical before going in they must’ve just seen the one poster.
Big mistake on their part. I feel like the most popular tunes from the production should be featured front and center. They were the best parts of the movie.
Thanks but I can NOT continue to support movies where the actors and production hates on their audience. I used to just turn my cheek but...I am done. Let alone TWO movies?! Glad you enjoyed it.
Did you watch the interviews in full or are you just selecting soundbites? As for the poster thing, Synthia has gone back on what she said.
LOL
Good for you. Here’s a cookie.